Public Policy, creative industries
Ian Hawthorne
Frameworks for Understanding Cultural Policy: ...

This article analyzes Ireland’s emerging position as a global cultural policy case study, focusing on the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) program and its place within the national framework Culture 2025. While Ireland’s consensus-driven political system, strong arts advocacy networks, and history of support for artist income have enabled an ambitious, research-oriented basic income pilot, the article highlights deeper tensions within cultural policymaking. Drawing on Stephen Hadley’s concept of “cultural policy realism,” it argues that Ireland’s policies—despite their novelty—remain rooted in traditional, instrumentalist views of culture as an economic engine and national branding tool. By contrasting democratization of culture with cultural democracy, the piece situates Ireland’s model between innovation and reversion, emphasizing the need for sustained experimentation, critical evaluation, and more genuinely democratic approaches to cultural support.

Frameworks for Understanding Cultural Policy: Lessons from the Irish Model
Gamification, Research, Artificial Intelligence
Staff Researcher
Part II - The Role of AI in Evolving Game ...

This study advances Part II by translating Scopely’s strategy into an execution plan across three tracks - NPC innovation, intelligent monetization, and ethical LiveOps - supported by new evidence from a 1,159-response consumer survey, nine expert interviews (developers, influencers, and experiential professionals), and secondary industry research. Part I established the market context for AI’s disruptive potential and identified three priorities: live operations evolution, commerce optimization, and advanced player analytics. The goal of this phase is to pinpoint the highest-leverage AI applications that deepen gameplay engagement, convert payment resistance through demonstrated value, and safeguard community trust. Accordingly, Part II outlines actionable playbooks (context-aware NPCs and adaptive narratives), platform tactics (purchase-aligned mobile personalization and cross-play integration), and operational models (behavior-based matchmaking and transparency protocols) designed to drive scalable, technology-led growth while preserving the integrity of shared human play.

Part II - The Role of AI in Evolving Game Ecosystems and Player Dynamics
Artificial Intelligence, entertainment, Research
Staff Researcher
Part I - Beyond the Screen: The Role of AI in ...

This study provides a comprehensive analysis for Scopely to enhance its position as a leader in interactive and mobile gaming, focusing on AI integration in live operations, in-game commerce, and player analytics. The research reveals the urgent need for gaming companies to navigate accelerated AI adoption and evolving player expectations for personalized experiences. The goal is to identify the most impactful AI applications over the next three years and strategies that maximize engagement and monetization while maintaining player trust. Significant to this goal is balancing innovation with ethical considerations, including data privacy and transparency, while recognizing AI's potential to enhance storytelling and create immersive experiences. Employing a mixed-methods approach with industry interviews, a survey of over 1,000 U.S. gamers, and secondary research, Part I establishes the foundation for understanding AI's transformative impact - setting the stage for Part II's empirical findings and strategic recommendations.

Part I - Beyond the Screen: The Role of AI in Evolving Game Ecosystems and Player Dynamics
News & Announcements, museums
Hales Wilson
Byte-Sized Culture: The Art of Stealing

A daylight robbery at the Musée du Louvre in mid-October resulted in the theft of eight priceless pieces from the French Crown Jewels housed in the Galerie d’Apollon. The incident now serves as an in-depth analysis for arts leaders globally to confront not only external threats, like highly organized professional thieves, but also the complex, internal risk of compromised staff and the urgent need to re-evaluate their security posture, technological investment, and institutional accountability.

Byte-Sized Culture: The Art of Stealing
entertainment, Extended Reality, Digital Futures
Staff Researcher
The Use of Immersive Technology in Live Music: ...

As immersive technologies redefine the live concert experience, artists and virtual idols alike are transforming how audiences engage with music. From Hatsune Miku’s “holographic” performances powered by projection and LED technologies to VR concerts by creators like BlackGryph0n and Gorillaz, extended reality (XR) is blurring the lines between physical and digital performance. This article explores the evolution of Vocaloid software, the artistry behind digital concerts, and the growing influence of augmented and virtual reality in live music. As AR and VR become more accessible, musicians and fans alike are discovering new ways to connect—reshaping what it means to perform, attend, and experience music in the digital age.

The Use of Immersive Technology in Live Music: Vocaloid, Digital Concerts and XR Implementation

Technologies in Arts Integration Curricula

Technologies in Arts Integration Curricula

Arts integration has applications across all subject areas in various learning settings. Most articles on visual arts integration do not consider technology; however, it makes sense that they should. By introducing a technological component to arts integration efforts, educators can create an innovative environment where children prepare for the creative and multidisciplinary needs of their future. AMT Lab's latest publication, Technologies in Arts Integration Curricula, compares types of integration hardware, methods of hardware acquisition, types of software, and multiple case studies in order to introduce readers to ways that technology can assist with multidisciplinary curriculum delivery.

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Gallery One: Engaging Audiences Infographic

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Gallery One: Engaging Audiences Infographic

How do you learn best about art? Maybe you lightly browse, interact with friends, or get right in the middle of the action. There are multiple ways to engage with and explore art forms, however cultural institutions may not always program to meet these needs. 

The Cleveland Museum of Art's Gallery One activities, on the other hand, were designed with people's learning needs and preferences in mind. In this article I apply WolfBrown's Making Sense of Audience Engagement Audience Typologies to the different initiatives to see how learners can interact with the the Art Lens App, Collection Wall, Interactives, and Studio Play at the CMA. 

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The Giving Pledge: A Start to Engage Tech Philanthropy

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The Giving Pledge: A Start to Engage Tech Philanthropy

To understand why arts organizations have struggled to capture funds from tech billionaires, arts managers and development professionals would do well to recognize what philanthropic sectors they are losing these dollars to, and why.  Armed with these insights, arts professionals can then adjust their strategies to better appeal to this new and growing donor segment.

Use Sentiment Analytics to Predict Motion Picture Box-Office

Use Sentiment Analytics to Predict Motion Picture Box-Office

The motion picture industry has long searched the magical formula of predicting future box office performances. A glimpse of future box office performances can help a studio save millions in post-production marketing and distribution expenses.  The same logic applies to all nonprofit presenting and performing arts organizations - if NPOs can predict their future events’ financial outcomes NPOs can save their precious resources and reallocate them to other uses. Social media may just provide this magical prediction formula.

Opening Doors: The People Behind Sensory-Friendly Programs

Opening Doors: The People Behind Sensory-Friendly Programs

One of the most important aspects of successful sensory-friendly programming is the proper training and involvement of staff, volunteers, and artists. Despite any initial concerns or nerves about the uncertainties with this programming, staff members at every organization I spoke with were eager to get involved. This is the third post in our series on sensory-friendly programming.

Tell us how you really feel - AMT Lab 2015 Reader Poll

Tell us how you really feel - AMT Lab 2015 Reader Poll

Hello AMT Lab Readers! 

With another year of research, reviews, interviews, and more almost completed, we wanted to take a moment to ask about your needs and about what content you'd like to see more of in the future. Please consider taking a moment to complete our 2015 Reader Poll, either below or on the home page so we can better serve your needs.

Can Cloud-Based Event Management Software Help Arts Managers Be “Propared?”

Can Cloud-Based Event Management Software Help Arts Managers Be “Propared?”

With a wealth of project management, task management, and personnel management software now at our fingertips, it can be difficult to know which software is the best for an organization’s needs, especially arts organizations with their unique project structures and demands. Enter Propared. A software application designed for use by project managers working on live events. I met the Propared team at the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) Conference in March and had a demo of the software. 

Click here to learn more.

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STEAM Learning at the Carnegie Science Center

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STEAM Learning at the Carnegie Science Center

Moving the conversation around public education from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) has long beleaguered arts managers and arts educators alike.  Defending the argument for arts programming and arts education can be difficult in the face of shrinking school budgets and a highly competitive grant environment.  Particularly in a country that increasingly favors the hard sciences above the humanities, cultural pursuits, and artistic studies.  Despite gains at the federal level with the new core arts standards, the STEAM caucus, and the first budget increase for the National Endowment for the Arts in years, it is still easy to feel defeated.  The question remains, what can arts leaders and community organizers do at the local level to push the conversation in a positive direction?

Affordable And Convenient Access To Word, Excel With Cloud-Based Office 365

Affordable And Convenient Access To Word, Excel With Cloud-Based Office 365

Office 365, Microsoft’s cloud-based software service, provides affordable monthly access to the ubiquitous software suite: Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, Access, OneNote, and PowerPoint. AMT Lab contributor Kristen Sorek West speaks with the Pittsburgh Choral Arts about their experience using the tool and the features it offers. Click here to read more. 

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Silicon Struggle: The Battle for The Bay Area Arts' Scene

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If you told the average San Francisco resident 40 years ago that the art scene in the Bay Area would be gasping for life in 2015, they probably would have laughed in your face.  But it is 2015, and that is the reality we are facing.  The tech giants have moved in, and  tension is building between the Silicon Valley community and its non-profit entities.  In particular, arts organizations seem to be at an extreme disadvantage for a few reasons:

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CREATE Lab: Creating Social Impact Through Empowering Communities

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CREATE Lab: Creating Social Impact Through Empowering Communities

CREATE Lab creates multi-disciplinary learning experiences that allow communities to become technologically fluent. CREATE Lab’s novel combinations of visual arts and technologies provide a wealth of new potential tools to arts administrators and their organization. This article will introduce a few of the exciting projects that CREATE Lab is already testing in the Pittsburgh community, as well as access points for administrators and educators who are interested in implementing them.

The Art of Data Management

The Art of Data Management

This post, originally published on Analysis from TRG Arts, is the second in a series of blog posts sharing success stories and best practices to highlight the benefits of effective data management. Find the first post here.

Data isn’t about numbers. It’s about people. When analyzed, data tells stories about people and their actions. Right now, in your database, a story exists about the decisions that people in your organization make. And, a story exists for every patron, which chronicles their relationship with your organization. 

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Research Update 1: How Technology Supports Collaborative Artistic Projects

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Research Update 1: How Technology Supports Collaborative Artistic Projects

Picture a producer preparing for the upcoming world premiere Contemporary Color, “a pep rally pop music mashup.” Conceived by David Byrne and commissioned by Luminato Festival and Brooklyn Academy of Music, Contemporary Color will bring together artists such as Nelly Furtado, St. Vincent, and Ira Glass, 350 performers, and a 15 piece band for its world-premiere performance in Toronto this summer. Not only are the artists, performers, and musicians all located in different cities across North America, great distances also separate the designers, technicians, and other producers. To coordinate the project across these distances, the producer relies on online collaborative tools to orchestrate the project from pre-production to post-production.

Tableau: The High Cost / High Reward of Data Visualization

Tableau: The High Cost / High Reward of Data Visualization

With more than 23,000 customer accounts, Tableau has established itself as a powerhouse of data visualization experts.   Clients include aerospace companies such as SpaceX, healthcare institutes like John Hopkins Hospital, and even financial sector customers such as Goldman Sachs.  But what does Tableau- a rather expensive budget line item- do for its non-profit customers like the Red Cross?  What does data visualization even mean for non-profit groups, let alone arts organizations?

Read the full article by clicking here.